Thanks to the Nintendo Switch, the Metroidvania genre has seen a tremendous influx of titles on the eShop. Many stellar entries include the recently released Islets and classic Nintendo contributions like Metroid Dread. That all being said, many of these titles can run a hefty price, some even into the $40 or $50 range. Fortunately, the eShop holds a whole host of titles for gamers on a budget.
The genre is extremely flexible in terms of themes and difficulty, ranging from delightful puzzle-platformers to grim and gothic sagas of death and despair. Of course, gamers don't have to break their wallets to experience some of the best Metroidvanias available. In fact, many clock in at less than $20.
HAAK ($18.90)
The Metroid series has been the face of sci-fi Metroidvanias for decades, but HAAK offers up a cyberpunk flavor set against a stylish, crumbling cityscape. The titular explorer must venture through a ruined city with rogue robots and a mysterious A.I. companion in order to be reunited with his missing brother.
Haak, from an aesthetic point of view, is certainly a dark and shadowy affair. An appropriate choice for this tale of infiltration and espionage, this is definitely an alternative adventure for those used to the typical sci-fi shooters with rabid aliens and hostile planets.
Salt And Sanctuary ($17.99)
Salt and Sanctuary could be best described as a 2-D Dark Souls, and it wears its gruesome and grim influences proudly on its sleeve. Players create their own adventurer, choose from a variety of classes, and set out to explore a hostile and unforgiving fantasy landscape loaded with all manner of monsters and fiends.
While the comparisons to FromSoftware's brutal RPG are certainly valid, the game arguably has more in common with the Castlevania games than many might care to admit. The foreboding gothic atmosphere, the menagerie of monsters, and the dark and creepy environments definitely feel more than a little familiar.
3000th Duel ($14.99)
A hidden gem, 3000th Duel is a gothic platformer with a spooky atmosphere and a surprisingly compelling story hidden behind the simplistic exploring and exciting combat system. The plot itself concerns a nameless adventurer who goes on an RPG-esque quest to discover his true identity.
There's a strange mix of Mario-ish platforming with the style and puzzles of some of the Zelda games. Truly the definition of the maxim "never judge a book by its cover," this is one Metroidvania that has a lot more than its appearance might imply. Easily worth more than the $14.99 price tag.
Cathedral ($14.99)
Cathedral is what would happen if Castlevania, Mega-Man, and Ghosts N' Goblins were all tossed in the blender, resulting in a cocktail of classic NES platformer elements that come together for one comprehensive flavor. The game will both look and feel familiar to anyone who ever held a controller between 1985 and 1994.
The love for vintage titles both in and out of the Metroidvania genres is incredibly felt in this brilliant throwback. Along with its visuals and sprawling map, the game comes with that vintage "Nintendo-Hard" difficulty that's bound to snap at least a joycon or two for those unversed in the genre.
Dust: An Elysian Tail ($14.99)
Dust is a beautiful game, plain and simple. The title is essentially Usagi Yojimbo by way of Rayman and presented on the Wonderful World of Disney, as it blends action-platforming fare with gorgeous animation and cuddly animal characters to tell a story of a fantasy world.
As the titular Dust, players must take up the sword to save an ancient civilization. With their blade, they'll rack up combos and juggle enemies across the screen as they hack and slash their way to victory. It's definitely an action-packed adventure for something with an anthropomorphic rabbit in a ninja outfit.
Guacamelee!: Super Turbo Championship Edition ($14.99)
Like so many re-releases on the Switch, Guacamelee's comes with a massive helping of content to keep fans going in this immense and exciting Metroidvania. It's not every day that players get to put on an enchanted luchadore mask to become a magical superhero to save El Presidente's daughter from the land of the dead, and this edition comes with all the bells and whistles a player could ask for.
Guacamelee is a Metroidvania made for fans of Metroidvanias. There are plenty of winks and nods to the genre, including Easter eggs to Super Metroid and Castlevania, and enough action and humor to last a player their whole run-through.
Hollow Knight ($14.99)
If gamers pick up only one Metroidvania on their Switch, It should be Hollow Knight. While some might be super quick to compare this creepy-crawly action-platformer to something like Dark Souls, that's only a partially true statement. Death is certainly a difficulty mechanic, but it's more of an annoyance than a hindrance.
This game features players taking up the mask and nail of a little insect knight and exploring the vast underground realm of Hollownest. There are so many branching pathways, plot lines, and bosses with their own lore and origins that the game becomes one of the most deceptively deep titles on the Switch.
Shantae ($9.99)
Shantae was something of a last hurrah on the Gameboy Color, and it was honestly ahead of its time. A port of the enchanting and comedic Metroidvania was released by WayForward, and it truly brings the game back from the past. There's not much in the way of spit and polish for it, but It's not necessarily needed.
It's a basic port, but the game itself is anything but. Shantae is as easy to pick up and difficult to master as it was back on the original system, and gamers will have to whip, dance, and transform their way through the islands to take on the 8-bit forces of Risky Boots.
Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon ($9.99)
This prequel to Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night could best be described as Castlevania III with a Ph.D. It plays remarkably similar to the Konami classic on the NES, but with much more control, a Lovecraftian narrative, and a different cast of characters to beat back an onslaught of monstrous horrors under a moonlit sky.
At times, it honestly feels like someone should be looking at a plagiarism suit due to how close this title resembles an original Castlevania game, but that only makes classic gamers want to play it even more. Exchanging vampires for demons and summoned horrors is certainly more than an aesthetic change, and those seasoned players will absolutely adore this tribute to the genre.
Gato Roboto ($7.99)
Gato Roboto is what would happen if a cat started wearing Samus's power armor instead of Nintendo's deadliest bounty hunter. Its visuals and gameplay bear resemblances to both the original Metroid, Blaster Master, and even a splash of Super Mario Land for good measure. This marriage of different themes, gameplay, and ideas makes for one of the most eclectic entries in the genre and on the Switch altogether.
A cat in a giant mech-suit already has such video game potential, but it lends itself to a Metroidvania so perfectly. As Kiki the cat, players will have to explore an 8-bit alien world to save their owner from the wreckage of a totaled spaceship. Simple yet effective, the game packs a lot in one package for $7.99.
Source:gamerant.com